Electric fan



Oct. 9, 1934.

EEEEEEEEEE AN Oct. 9, 1934. A. c. GILBERT Er AL ELECTRIC FAN 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed N'ov. 25, 1932 A. C. GILBERT ET AL Filed Nov. 25, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patenred Oct. 9, 1934 musu anserino FAN Alfred C. Gilbert, North Haven, and Arthur A.- Arnold, New Haven, Conn., anima to The A. O. Gilbert Company, New Haven, Oonn.

Appumion November 25, 1932, sum No. 644,:95

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This invention relates to electrlc fans and more particularly to portableb electricr fans such as used in omces and homes for ventilation and cooling purposes.

The ordinary portable electric fan used on a desk or table is moved frequently to change or improve its locationas required by different conditions.v Very frequently the fan is lifted by grasping the fan guard. The usual type of fan guard is applied by means of screws or the like to one end of the motor casing, and very often it is made of wire. Such a guard is too weak to carry the entire weight of the fan and to stand rough handling, and the consequence is that in the ordinary use of the fan the guard is distorted and is'frequently bent in such a ma'nner as t'o interfere with the rotation of the fan blades.

One of the objects of our invention is to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks and to provide an electric fan with a strong and rugged member by means of which it can be readily carried from place to place without any consequent damage.

.Another object of our invention is to provide an improved and attractive electric fan structure.

.Another object is to furnish improved means whereby the fan can be tilted at various angles 0 so as to send a current of air in the desired direction.`

Another object is to furnish improved means for oscillating the motorcarrying the fan blades.

To these and other ends the invention' consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed:

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevationof a fan embodying our improvements;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation partly broken away of the fan shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section on line 5-5 of Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Fig. 8; Fig.8isasection online8-8of Fig.6: Fig. 9 is a section on line 9,-9 of Fig. 5;

,50 Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the guard on line 10-10 of Fig. 3 showing the manner of securing the motor thereto;

11 is an enlarged section on line 11-11 of Fls. 2; u Fig. 12, is a front elevation of a fan of somewhat modified form;

the upper end of the stud .member being provided Fix. 13 is a side elevation of the fan shown in Flg. 12; Fig. 14 is an enlarged sectional view on line 14-14 of Fix. 12; and s Fig. 15 is an enlarged section on line 15-15 m of Fig. 13. In electric fans of the type now in common use, the guard for the fan blades is Secured to one end of the electric motor and is carried by the motor, and the motor in turn is supported on and carried by a suitable base. In accordance with our improvements' we arrange the principal parts of the fan in a different way in that the guard, instead of being carried by the motor,

-carries the motor and is attached to the base so as to form a means of connection between the base and the motor. The guard can be made of simple and yet very sturdy structure so as to provide a means by which the fan Structure as a whole can be readily lifted and carried from place to place. We'have found that the principles of construction herein described are well adapted to fan structures that are intended to be tilted to send a current of air into any desired direction, and are also well adapted to fans that are intended to oscillate so as to sweep the air across a given space.

In the form particularly shown in Figs. 1 to' 11, inclusive, we have illustrated a portable fan having a round disk-like base A directly carrying a circular fan guard B, which in tum carries an electric motor C having the usual fan blades D mounted on the armature shaft. The base A may be provided with a current-controlling switch 20 .of any desired kind, and electric wires 21 pass into theV base at the top thereof and after branching to the switch 20 they extend upward exteriorly to the casing of motor C. On the upper surface of the base is a slot or socket 22 formed between cheeks 23, 24, as best shown in Fig. 11, 95 and pivoted in the slot or socket and between these cheeks is a stud member 25. This stud' member has a transverse hole therein through which passes a pivot pin 26 engaging the cheeks 23, 24 and lhaving a threaded end 27 adapted to be engaged by a clamping nut 28. The stud member 25 is pivoted to the base by means of pivot pin 26 to swing in a vertical plane and may be clamped in a vertical position or in any inclined position desired, within certain limits, by tightening the cap nut 28.V The stud member 25 has Secured thereto at its upper part a spindle member or post 29. In the construction shown in Fig. 5 the post 29 has a threaded connection with the studmember 25,

threaded extremity 31 on the lower end of thepost. Just-above the threaded extremity 31 the post 29 has a cylindrical bearing portion 32, and in the particular fan illustrated, which is an oscil'- lating fan, the fan guard B is provided with a sleeve member 33 at the lower portion thereof, which has a-bearing on the cylindrical portion 32 of the post so as to be capable o'f turning thereon. A thrust bearing 34 of appropriate type may advantageously be interposed between the lower surface of sleeve 33 and the upper surface of stud member 25. Just above the cylindrical bearing portion 32 post 29 is provided with a laterally enlarged or flanged portion 35 adapted to rest against the upper surface of sleeve member 33.

In the preferred form of fan guard,,as illustrated herein, a sturdy ring-shaped frame member is employed, attached at its lower part to sleeve 33. This frame member is illustrated at 36 and may advantageously be formed as a ring of round cross-section, as shown in Fig'. 10. The guard B also comprises forwardly extending' peripheral arm members 37 which are turned in at.

their forward ends and suitably secured to a front. guard plate 38, which may be of omamental configuration if desired. In the form of fan shown in Figs. 1 to 11, inclusive, it may be assumed that the rear ends of members 37 are brazed to the member 36 and that the front ends of members 37 are brazed to the front guard frame structure 38.

The electric motor'C is carried by the fan guard B and supported therefrom and for this purpose suitable instrumentalities attached to the motor forsupporting the same are carried to and secured to the guard B. Preferably these members are attached to the strong ring-shaped member 36 of the guard. In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 11, inclusive, strap members applied to the front socket in the ring member.

and rear faces of the motor casing'are carried up to and secured tothe guard ring 36, the connection of the guard ring being located intermediate of the ends of these strap members. Four such strap members may advantageously be employed,

two of them being located at the upperpart of the structure, as indicated at 39, andthe other two being located at the lower part of the structure, as shown at 40. In Fig. 10 one of the strap members 39 is "shown in detail, and' it will be observed that its front end is secured by a'nut and bolt to the front face of the motorcasing, as indicated at 41, and the rear end of the strap member is secured to the motor casing by -a nut and bolt, as shown at 42. The strap member is bent into substantially V-shaped formation, and at a point near the middle the strap member is Secured to ring member 36 by a screw 43 passing through a perforation in the strap and' intol a threaded The lower strap members are attached to the ring member and to the motor in substantially the same manner.

For effecting oscillation of the motor carrying the fan-blades, we prefer to employ a gear-driven device associated with and carried by the motor, by means of which the fan is swung to one side of the normal central position and then to the other side, and so on. In achieving this result,

also, we prefer to utilize the spindle or post 29' about' the axis of which the guard member B is 70 mounted to swing. For this purpose-we connect the upper end portion of the post 29 with the gear-driven device associated with the rear end portion of the motor. In the particular formv shown'the post 29 is extended completely into thelowerpartcfthemotor casing, for which Larnaca.:V

purpose the motor casing is provided with a clearance portion or cut-away part 44, as shown in Fig. 5. The gear-driven oscillating device associated with the motor may advantageously vbe of the type described in the patent of Alfred C. Gilbert, No. 1,938,380', dated December 5,' 1933, and may, as described in that patent, include a depending sleeve or casing 45 adjacent the rear end of the motor havingtherein a shaft 46 geared to the motor shaft to-be rotated thereby. Fixed to the lower end of the shaft 46 is a crank member 47, the outer end of which is connected by means of a screw 48 to the end of a link 49. The opposite end of the link 49 is connected by means of a screw 50 to a bracket 51 having an arm extending laterally fromthe upper end portion of post 29 and Secured to the post 29 in embracing. relation by a small screw 52. The upper end of the post 29 is held at all times in properly spaced relation to the shaft 46 by means of a spacing or brace member 53, which may conveniently take theform of a strap having a perforated end portion interposed between the crank 47 and the lower end of the sleeve 45, and having at the opposite end a perforation engaging the reduced end portion 54*of post 29.

It will be understood that as the stud membe 25 is tilted about the pivot-pin 26, the large circular fan guard structure and the motor and fan blades carried thereby will be swung.. together. and that by the adjustment described the current of air can bejcaused to pass' horizontally`from the fan device or can .be inclind upwardly or downwardly. It will also be understood that the fan guard structure may be ample in size so as to extend about the fan blades a's fully as is required for-safety and without any parts being located so closelyV adjacent the blades as to cause objectionable noise in the operation of the fan. The fan guard structure is very strongly and durably mounted.

`It will be obvious that when the oscillating mechanism previously described is in Operation, the bracket 51 carried by the upper end of the post 29 serves as a reaction abutment with respect to which the motor carrying the fan blades is swung. The motor, through the strapmembers, swingsthe fan guard on the post or upright on which it is swiveled.

In Figs. 12 to 15 of the drawings we have shownI a modified form of our device. This form diifers from the form first described lonly in a few de-f tails of construction. Here the threaded manually operable nut for clamping the stud and pedestal in the desired position with respect to the base is omitted and a spring member is employed for clamping purposes so as to hold the parts in position after they have been adjusted. This structure is shown more particularly in Fig. 15 and it will be observcd that the stud 55 Pivot pin 59 has at one end a reduced threaded portion 60 engaging an interiorly threaded opening in cheek 57. At the opposite end of the pivot pin is an enlargement or head 61 received in a correspondingly shaped opening -of check 58.

Head 61 is provided with a transverse nick or. 1,45

grooveso that it can be turned by a screw driver.

Interposed between the head 61 and the main body of pivot pin 59 is a spring'washer 62 pressing against the side face of stud 55 in such a msnnorsstoforceitintbedirectionofsndl 1,975,os4 v mayl take different forms without any change in against the nner face of cheek 57. After the stud has been moved to the desired position with reference to its pivot, it is held in the adjusted position yieldingly by the spring member which urges the stud laterally into engagement with one of the cheeks ofv the base member.

In the form now under discussion the fan guard is of samewhat different construction and mounting from that flrst described. HereV the motor is supported from the guard ring at points located at the rear only of the motor. The supporting straps run from the rear face of the motor up to the ring member and stop short at the ring member. The supporting straps are shown at 63 and these are somewhat thicker and heavier than the straps 39, 40 previously described. At their inner rear ends the straps 63 are secured by bolts 64 and nuts 65 to' the rear face of the motor. In this particular case the'fan guard B' has a number of peripheral arm members 66 that are detachably ensaged with the guard ring 67. For this purpose the rear extremities of arms 66 are reduced and threaded,'as shown at 68, and

. these reduced threaded ends are passed through perforations in ring 67. The outer ends `of the straps 63 engage the threaded ends 68 in the rear of the ring 67, and nuts 69 engagingthe parts 68 permit the outer ends of strap 63 to be clamped against the rearV face of the ring 67.

In addition to the arms 66, the guard B' is provided with other arms 70 which are received at their. rear ends in correspondingly shaped sockets 7,1 in the ring 67 at the front of the ring. ,This is shown particularly in Fig.i14. As

. the arms 66 are drawn rearwardly by screwing up on the nuts 69, the arms 70 are forced into their socketsin the guard ring. In the partieular form shown, two arms66 are employed at the upper part of the guard and two at the lower part thereof, vWhile the arms 70 are located at the sides of the guard, but it will be apparent that this arrangementis susoeptible of modification.

In the form last described, the strap members supporting the motor' from the guard ring do so i very effectively, and yet they are located at such a distance from the blades of the fan as to prevent any objectionablenoise -caused by air currents striking against the guard supports.

While the strap members interposed between the guard ring and the motor casing for supporting the motor casing hold the motor in place in a sucientiy firm manner, they nevertheless act to an vextent as Spring cushioning members which serve to reduce the amount of Vibration transmitted from the motor to the guard and thence to the base member. These substantially radially disposed motor-supporting members take up a certain amount of Vibration and there is effective elimination of any drumming noise or Vibration in the base caused by Vibrations of the motor being imparted to the base. It is understood, therefore, that reduced Vibration of the fan frame Structure is an important advantage secured by our invention.

While we have shown and described two forms of our invention, we have not attempted to describe the numerous modiiications which may be made without departing from -our inventive concept. Various changes may be made in; the details of the fan structure without departing from the scope of our invention as defined in the claims. It is manifest, for example, that the post extending upwardly from the base member and on which the guard member is mounted to turn principle being involved.

What we claim is:

1. In an electric fan, a base member, a post rising therefrom, a guard swiveled on the post and supported -from the base member, a fanblade-carrying motor supported by and from the guard member, and means oscillating the motor and guard.

2. In an electric fan, a base member, a post rising therefrom, a guard swiveled on the post and supported from the base member, a fanblade-carrying motor supported by and from the guard member, and means for oscillating the motor and guard including a movable mechanical device operated by the motor during the rotation thereof and operatively connected with the post, said post extending upwardlyto a substantial extent beyond the lower part of the guard, -and said mechanical ,device being connected to said'post adjacent the upper end of the latter. l

3. A portable electric fan comprising a base member, a post extending upwardly therefrom, a guard member mounted on said post to. turn relatively thereto, a fan-blade-carrying motor supported i-from the guard member, and means interconnecting the motor and the post for oscillating the motor.

4. In an electric fan, a ring-shaped carrying member of rodlike cross-section, an electric motor, a fan carried by said electric motor, straps extending outwardly from the motor to said ring-- shaped carrying member for supporting the motor from the latter, guard portions projecting forwardly and inwardly from said ring-shaped member around the fan blades, a base member, means for swivelly supporting the carrying member and motor from thebase member located at the lower motor to the base member for imparting oscillation.

5. A portable electric fan comprising a base member, a guard member swivelly supported at its lower part from the base member substantially centrally of said base member to turn laterally relatively thereto and comprising a ringshaped element and forwardly and inwardly projecting members adapted to enclose the blades of a fan, fan blades enclosed by said forwardly and inwardly projecting members, a motor supported from. the ring-shaped element and Whose shaft carries said blades, and means connecting the motor and base member for imparting to the motor and guard memberan oscillating movement relatively to the base member in the operation of the motor.

6. In an electric fan, a base member, a member extending upwardlytherefrom, a' guard swiveled on the base member andsupported from the base member, a fan-blade-carrying motor supported by and from'the guard, and means for oscillating the motor and guard, including a movable mechanical device operated by the motor during the rotation thereof and operatively connected with said upwardly extending member..

7. A portable electric f'an comprising a low base i thereto for lateral turning movement relatively- .10

oted to the base member to swing in a vertical plane, means for xing said stud member in angularly adjusted position relatively to the base member, a guard member of ring shape extending upwardly from the base member substantially centrally thereof and having at its lower portion a part joined thereto supported by and above said stud member in swiveled relation of the latter, a member extending upwardly from said base member on which said guard member is' swiveled for lateral turning movement, said guard member also including elements extending forwardly and inwardly from the ring-shaped element, fan blades enclosed by said forwardly and inwardly projecting elements and located in a plane forwardly of a vertical plane passing through said upwardly extending member, a motor supported by and from said guard member and Whose shaft is connected to said fan blades, and means for oscillating the motor and guard member about the axis of said upwardly extending member including a movable meohanical device operated by the motor during the rotation thereof and operatively connected with said base member.

ALFRED C. GIBERT. ARTH'UR A. ARNOLD. 

